Benjamin Franklin Papers

Post Office Account with William Hunter, 29 August 1757

Post Office Account with William Hunter

MS memorandum: American Philosophical Society

Pasted on page 26 of Franklin’s Ledger, 1764–1775, is a small slip of paper on which he wrote a memorandum which appears to have nothing to do with the accounts to which it has been attached. Although the memorandum as a whole is dated 1772, it is printed here at the date of the earliest item on it.

London, May 5, 1772

Hunter

1757 Aug 29. 31. 10. 0
Do 42.
Oct. 27 20. 0. 0
400. 0. 05
1758 May 3 35. 0. 0
Aug. 26 40. 0. 0
Nov. 21 100. 0. 0
1759 Mar. 1 191. 5. 06

The above Sums taken from Banker’s Book (Brown & Sons) all above the Line are settled in the Post Office Account between W. Hunter and me. Query, How were the subsequent Sums settled.

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

5In BF’s “Account of Expences,” p. 7; PMHB, LV (1931), 105, are the following entries (in tabular form) under date of Dec. 1, 1757: “Paid Mr. Hunter sundry Sums, viz 30 Guineas 40 Do. in two Drafts on Banker £73. 10s. Note, these, with what he had before makes 100 Guineas. Another Draft for £400 Another Do for £20.”

6The two items of May 3 and August 26 are not found in BF’s “Account of Expences,” but on p. 37 (also in PMHB, LV, 116) occurs the following (also in tabular form): “Mar. 1. [1759] Paid Mr. Hunter £191 5s. 0d. which with £100 paid in Nov. last makes £291 5s. 0d. being his Proportion of Post Office Money receiv’d by me since Aug. 10. 1757. the Post Office Account being previously settled to that time.”

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